Dunaan
Physiology The slender, rough mountain men of the east are a tall, long lived race of men. They commonly have long, dark hair, and green or brown eyes, though it is not hugely uncommon to see the more northern Dunaan have blue eyes and blond hair. Having sharp minds, and even sharper eyes, they are excellent hunters, but as a race, have few discerning physical features. Personality The Dunaan are a varied race, and this shows in their lack of general attitude. Instead, most individuals choose their own path, and their own destiny. However, family influence pays a large part in how a Dunaan may see the world. One common aspect of all the Dunaan across the world, however, is an obsession with hygiene. Most Dunaan will bathe at least once a day, and spend an hour grooming. War or hunting parties forego this most of the time, and this have actually been speculated to increase the aggression of said warriors. The Dunaan are neither xenophobic nor outgoing. Their mouintaneous homeland means that they don't get visitors, but unlike many other visitors, tend to appreciate it. Culture and Religion The Dunaan are an extremely divided race. The Dunaan in the north, in the Nokana Empire, do not even identify themselves as Dunaan, and rather, as Nokanian. Similarily in the south, the Dunaan of Dún do not consider themselves to be the same as the Nokanian Dunaan, and have a culture completely separate to the Dunaan of Dún. For information on Dunaan of Nokana, go to the Nokana Empire page. Dunaan culture is centered around families. Family is the strongest bond, and bloodlines often mean more than anything else. An entire village is an extended family - usually not by blood, but by heart. Anyone who proves their worth can be inducted into a family if they so wish, and are treated like brothers and sisters, and inherit parents and grandparents. Fresh blood is always sought after, as it keeps families centered on deed instead of title. Dunaan are famed for their bards. As deadly as they are jovial, these traveling wastrels tell tales of great battles and great joy, spreading the culture of their own, as well as the culture of others. Dunaan culture is very much a mis mash of other cultures around the world, and the ministrels often display this better than most. Dunaan are fond of music, of poetry, and of stories, and their taverns are filled with laughter, joy, tears and anger. Dunaan religion is very much a conglomeration of the myths and legends of others. While they have their own pantheon, they often adopt the gods of other races and factions, making them their own. Gods go in and out of fashion, and the more secretive, the more the politicians are entranced by them. The Dunaan are extremely fond of Ambrosia, but only the smokeable paste form. They carve eloquent pipes from the wood of the Eder tree, which are famous the world over as the best pipes around. History, Legends, Folklore Before recorded history, the Dunaan were scattered along the eastern shore. They lived in small clans - the beginnings of modern day families. These clans bickered and feuded, until the Lyrian's, which inhabited the land now called the Nokana Empire, organized themselves. They went to war, conquering most of the eastern part of the continent, including the Dunaan lands. The Dunaan of Dún, subjucated, lost themselves in the Empire, which for the most part provided for them. The Dunaan of the North, however, were angry at their loss of independence, and united to overthrow the Empire. The Empire crumbled, and so did the Dunaan of the Dún. They descended into fighting clans - the beginnings of the modern day families. This continued for many years, with countless cities and villages being under constant attack, their lands pillaged, their cattle slaughtered, and their homes burned. Eventually, the people had had enough. Finally, the families of the Dún met, to end the bloodshed. They formed an alliance. Each city state would remain independent, but all city states would be ruled over by the High King. The High King would be elected by the families, from the families, and so the Dún was born. Politics Dunaan cities function independently of one another, with only a loose affiliation based on trade and mutual benefit keeping them together. Their rugged, mountaineous homeland of the Dun makes for long journeys, and harsh winters, and so the Dunaan often have many villages set up along these trade routes, rest stops for weary travellers and hungry warriors. Dunaan politics is very much factured. Some families are warring barbarians, and others are peaceful traders. For the most part, families work together, but blood feuds can go on for a long time, and underhanded deals with other families have seen many a war break out. While most families operate mostly independently, there is a king of the Dunaan. The High King is elected between the families from the smartest, strongest, wisest men of the land - though it usually ends up that the richest or the most powerful family elects their leader, however old, weak, and stupid he may be. He operates as the supreme ruler of all the families, and in times of war, leads the entire race against their enemies. Most of the time he is simply a figurehead, on a position designed to give old men a comfortable bed in which to die. The Dunaan make up the majority race in the Nokana Empire, and operate completely separately from the Dunaan in the south, and identify not as Dunaan, but as Nokanian. This can cause political tension between the two areas. Military and Magic Category:Races Category:Men